How To Take Notes
- Read the assignment in the text before covering the material in the lecture.
- Try to listen and understand what the professor is saying while you write it. (This takes concentration -- don't let your mind wander.)
- If you can't get every word, write down key terms.
- Don't be afraid to ask the professor to repeat something.
- Sometime during the day, recopy your notes with your text in front of you.
Don't wait until the next day.
--Get rid of abbreviations used in note taking.
--Explain in writing what the professor was talking about in class.
--Expand your notes with segments from the text; add to what your professor said.
--Try to recopy notes with the idea that you could pick up those notes five years later and still understand them. - In your notes, give additional examples you can think of. Also, try restating
the material in a different way.
Example: Ion - an atom that has lost or gained electrons.
Restated: Atoms that lose or gain electrons are called ions.
- Write yourself questions in your notes about the material.
- Reread the segment in the text dealing with the lecture, for comprehension.
If you have questions about this material, you may email me at: Fred Searcy
